The Modular Hotel Room/Office That Fits Into a Suitcase

There’s nothing like hitting the open road and setting off for destinations as yet undecided, nothing but your clothes and a sense of adventure in tow. But most of us lack the ability or the inclination to simply wander, not knowing where we will sleep that night. The Hotello could be an answer for road warriors, business travelers, and disaster victims alike.

The Hotello is a portable room that is completely contained in a suitcase. It has everything you need to spend a comfortable night or block out the sounds around you as you get some work done. Its trunk-like exterior is equipped with small wheels and contains a desk, stool, lamp, locker, shelf and bed. A metal structure supports a sound-absorbing curtain that helps to block out the outside world.

Designed by Roberto De Luca and Antonio Scarponi, Hotello was meant to be used as a modular office space to fit inside vast urban lofts. The tiny 6 ft X 6 ft X 6ft room would allow empty lofts to be segmented into private areas for many people – no architects or adding of walls required. Likewise, it could be used as a temporary sleeping room just about anywhere.

But there is a more serious side to Hotello. In a disaster situation when many people lose their homes or are forced to evacuate, Hotello could provide victims with a secure, private place to stay temporarily. Because the modular room is simple to transport, hundreds could be deployed quickly and easily to where they’re needed.